The Influence Of Opera On Figure Skating

The fact that figure skaters have constructed programs around many of the great opera's just goes to highlight the enormous influence that opera has had on the sport. Moreover, I think that those who have choreographed and executed the programs have done a very good job of bringing out the essence of each opera. Here are some links to some of the opera's and various figure skating programs that they have inspired, so that you can judge for yourself:-

I like the subtle use of the music (ie not the best known part of the opera) in Lynn's programme
I really like Dai's LP this season. I hope he will nail it at GPF.
The use of music in K/S's LP is also interesting. Effective patchwork to incorporate different pieces/moods from the opera.
I have not seen G/G's before. My first impression - considering the costumes they are not reflecting the characters in the opera (in the opera there is a lot of strife & conflict, but what do they want to portray?).

The fact that figure skaters have constructed programs around many of the great opera's

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Actually, figure skaters have rarely constructed programs around an opera, they mostly just skate to music from operas, usually only the overtures due to the need to avoid vocals. For example, most Carmen's were not really skated to a recording of the opera Carmen but to Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy. I think the all-time worst example was probably Yagudin's Tosca, where short snippets of music were used repeatedly. Just as my ears were ready for the next bars of the score, the music would cut to something else or back to the same phrase just used. Really annoying.

Actually, figure skaters have rarely constructed programs around an opera, they mostly just skate to music from operas, usually only the overtures due to the need to avoid vocals. For example, most Carmen's were not really skated to a recording of the opera Carmen but to Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy.

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That's the way it should be. The skaters are meant to interpret the music, not play a role in the opera. The overtures offer the best music choice for a skater. I would hate it if they started using vocals from the opera (after the new rules allow vocals) and started making it an ice theater by playing scenes from the opera.

Sometimes we see a skater playing a role in (for example) a movie, but it's because there is a wider choice of music there. Sometimes they are able to make it work, but to me musical interpretation is more important than playing a character from an opera or movie or a play.

Regarding Yagudin's music cut, I was not looking for him to play a role in Tosca; I liked what he did to interpret the music through his skating.

Regarding Yagudin's music cut, I was not looking for him to play a role in Tosca; I liked what he did to interpret the music through his skating.

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I wasn't looking for him to act out the opera either, just to use some decent sections of the music, instead of repeating the same 8 bars over and over again. Whoever cut the music for that program just massacred it.

Of course, Witt, Boitano and Orser did an hour-long (HBO special USA) or hour and a half (theatrical release in Germany) skating special to Carmen. Don't know that this is all of it, but it's all on Youtube and here are a few links:

I can't believe I forgot Salome, and I can't believe I forgot Die Fledermaus. Many skaters have skated to this, but my favorite is Gordeeva-Grinkov's 1989 worlds LP. It was pure perfection. I will post the yt later.

Others who skated to Die Fledermaus: Shishkova-Naumov, Davis & White, Jenny Kirk, Todd Eldredge. . I am sure I am forgetting some. I liked S&N and D&W's programs, but not as much as G&G's.

Of course, Witt, Boitano and Orser did an hour-long (HBO special USA) or hour and a half (theatrical release in Germany) skating special to Carmen. Don't know that this is all of it, but it's all on Youtube and here are a few links:

Actually, figure skaters have rarely constructed programs around an opera, they mostly just skate to music from operas, usually only the overtures due to the need to avoid vocals.

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Exactly. It is about finding a piece of music to skate to. And it seems as if the same pieces keep getting used again and again, going by the number of skaters using various pieces. And not even what gets used internationally but all the other skaters throughout the world.

An amazing program that ends with the Leonora Overture No. 3, which is often played as part of "Fidelio" productions, usually between the Leonora/Florestan prison scene and the final scene of the opera, although in Seattle Opera's recent production, Asher Fisch used it as the overture to the opera.

Nexxice's FS in 2010 was set to excerpts from the "Carlos Saura's 'Carmen'" soundtrack, which used the Regina Resnik recording for the classical sections and is mostly vocals. I don't recognize the guitar music played during the first lift from the movie, but that could just be a memory thing. This performance isn't very sharp, but I can't find their Nationals or Worlds performance on YouTube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No4uy3ckgFM

I'm not sure if anyone's skatked to the Gluck, but the most danceable parts are those chsen by Balanchine for "Chaconne": "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" and a peppier orchestal interlude, for contrast.

Glinka's 'Ruslan & Ludmilla' - I think Grushina & Goncharov skated a FD to this, but I don't remember the year. I also think that Yagudin skated to it, early in his career (again, I don't remember the year).

Glinka's 'Ruslan & Ludmilla' - I think Grushina & Goncharov skated a FD to this, but I don't remember the year. I also think that Yagudin skated to it, early in his career (again, I don't remember the year).

I like David Wilson's approach to choreographing opera- last year's "Rigoletto" for Javier, and this year's "Boheme" for Patrick. While there does not seem to be a direct interpretation, the musical pieces are arranged to convey the meaning of opperas, and body movement really corresponds to the emotion of each particular part. For example, Chan's step sequence to Rodolfo's grief at the end of the opera is a beauty.